Tremendous book. 540pages well printed hardbound.Stunning photos sorted by racetracks and years. Shortish minimal captions and small intros in EIGHT languages.Lots of portraits too--sorry Björn, no transporters seen so far...

Steve Wyatt's photo book The Pursuit of Victory 1963-1972 , with comments by Bob Dance, is well reviewed in MS this month. Has anyone seen it yet? Having seen Steve's work I expect it will be top drawer.
Roger Lund

Disclaimer: Shameless plug for a book, because I work with the author.

Biography of the three Scandinavian drivers that tried to reach F1 each in his own way. Ronnie and Reine of Sweden and Ole Vejlund from Denmark.

Carsten has gotten hold of a bunch (2,500) of mostly unpublished pictures from mainly Swedish sources. He has had towhittle this down to approx. 300 which means the material in the book really is first class. It's in Danish so I guess his text will be lost on anyone but Danes, Swedes and Norwegians.

Does anyone know much about Bugatti Type 32 Tank by Diego Ratti?His website makes some strange claims about the 1923 car that raced at Tours which makes one wonder how much the author has understood, e.g.:-First racing car with a “suspended” chassis: the axle was sustained by leaf-spring in order to lower the car barycentre of 20/30 centimetres, a solution anticipating the “ground effect” developed later by Colin Chapman in the late sixties.

Steve Wyatt's photo book The Pursuit of Victory 1963-1972 , with comments by Bob Dance, is well reviewed in MS this month. Has anyone seen it yet? Having seen Steve's work I expect it will be top drawer.Roger Lund

I got a copy of the book a few weeks back and have to say I was immediately impressed with both the quality and quantity of the pictures. The book is a fair bit thicker than the related Anthony Carter books, but Carter has clearly influenced the layout of this book so that they geniunely look like they are part of a series which I feel enhances the experience. Steve Wyatt's text is very complimentary to the images, giving excellent brief overviews to the races being photographed and why he was there. Bob Dance's comments are little gems relating often to what the pictures show. I would thoroughly reccommend buying this book.

Also, while I'm at it, Steve Ryder's autobiography of his presenting career is a great read. At 267 pages (but the smaller sized pages) it is a book easy to get into and the chapters in the main are snappy and self contained (which build into the overall picture). The chapter on Mansell and McLaren is particularly interesting and the gradual decline and collapse on Grandstand on the BBC makes it a read worth getting.

Finally, I recieved a copy of Ranier Schlegelmilch's Sports Car Racing 1962-1973 yesterday (£18.59 from The Book Depository) and I would say it's one of his finest picture books. The book is printed on good quality paper and at 540 pages it's quite heavy as I realised after reading it for an hour last night suddenly being aware my wrist was going! The pictures are both interesting and atmospheric, just to see the grubbiness of the pits in the 60s and 70s I think is great, and the text (prologue etc) is brief and to the point. For the price I really cannot think of a better deal at the moment.

Yes, this is the (Photo) book of the year in my opinion. I just went through yesterday and can only second what you said.

Just got SCHLEGELMILCH's Sportscar racing 1962-73

Tremendous book. 540pages well printed hardbound.Stunning photos sorted by racetracks and years. Shortish minimal captions and small intros in EIGHT languages.Lots of portraits too--sorry Björn, no transporters seen so far...

Mecum , the US-auctioneer auctioned in August at Monterey a Porsche 917.For this sale they produced an extra catalogue (A4 landscape,98pp sb). It's beautifully done, fine photos, contributons by Pete Lyons, George Follmer etc.

Have just received my copy of Cars Made in Hungary by TNFer Pal Negyesi.

The first half is devoted to road cars, some of which appeared as good as anything on offer in the West, but none – if I read it correctly – got beyond the prototype stage.

It was the second half, giving a run-down of racing machinery made in Hungary postwar, mostly by state-owned garages or the national taxi company, which was of most interest to this reader.

Very much a niche subject, I’m sure, but fascinating to someone like me who knew nothing about racing in Hungary, apart from a few events in which drivers from other countries took part. And absolutely nothing about the local cars.

I could have done with more concrete data – who won what and when, etc - but it’s not that sort of book.

Criticisms? A couple of translation slips – as has frequently been discussed on TNF, in the English-speaking world we don’t refer to rallies and trials, or hillclimbs, as “races”.

...as has frequently been discussed on TNF, in the English-speaking world we don’t refer to rallies and trials, or hillclimbs, as “races”.

You're absolutely right David, but this misuse is very common in the popular press in the UK, along with the attachment of the term 'vintage' to anything more than a handful of years old. As if that wasn't bad enough, a recent Daily Mail piece on the London to Brighton run managed to misuse the terms 'vintage' and 'veteran' in the same article when describing the participants. It's all a losing battle I'm afraid, and things will only get worse.

You're absolutely right David, but this misuse is very common in the popular press in the UK, along with the attachment of the term 'vintage' to anything more than a handful of years old. As if that wasn't bad enough, a recent Daily Mail piece on the London to Brighton run managed to misuse the terms 'vintage' and 'veteran' in the same article when describing the participants. It's all a losing battle I'm afraid, and things will only get worse.

Now, why doesn't this surprise me? I had hoped that when they promoted Jonathan McEvoy to cover the Olympics his successor as 'motoring' correspondent might be capable of at least doing basic research. But it appears not.

Did you contact them and tell them? To give the Mail their due they do give a byeline and an e-mail. However, it does seem a fruitless task when you don't even get an acknowledgement. But it can't do any harm and maybe it isn't all 'water off a duck's back'. Perhaps as well as complaining to the writer it might be worth copying the complaint to the Editor.

On the question of 'vintage' I'm fairly relaxed about its misuse in the popular press - after all the dates for vintage wine are continuously updated. In a serious description of an individual car it's different, but I can see why when writing for a mainstream audience the writer feels that explaining what a 'Post Vintage Thoroughbred' actually means would distract the reader. Given that the Vintage Sports Car Club bury the definition of a 'Vintage Car' deep on their website and don't mention 'Veteran' or 'Edwardian', I think we can forgive the McEvoys of this world if they get it wrong. But in an article specifically about the Veteran Car Run they should get it right.

Did you contact them and tell them? To give the Mail their due they do give a byeline and an e-mail. However, it does seem a fruitless task when you don't even get an acknowledgement. But it can't do any harm and maybe it isn't all 'water off a duck's back'. Perhaps as well as complaining to the writer it might be worth copying the complaint to the Editor.

No, it's hopeless Duncan, where would you start? The Mail even use 'vintage' when writing about E-Types, and they've often called cars from the 70s & 80s 'vintage'. Chris Evans recently bought a lovely looking near-mint Humber Super Snipe estate, and the Mail article referred to it as an 'old banger'. Judging by the 'celeb' stuff and the comments after articles, I suspect that they're aiming their site more at US readers in any case, and they'll certainly never win any awards for literary competence or factual accuracy. You may well ask why I look at their site, but it does provide a quick fix of low-level news and popular opinion that you don't get from more serious newspapers. That's my excuse anyway...

The Mail even use 'vintage' when writing about E-Types, and they've often called cars from the 70s & 80s 'vintage'.

It is a losing cause. Here in the US all 'old car' racing is called 'vintage' regardless of the age or pedigree of the cars involved. Just the way it is, and it is never going to be changed. Sigh.

That brings me to another of my peeves (believe me, I have many!). Here in the US the word 'classic' when it comes to cars has been completely corrupted. According to the popular press and all the non-rabid followers of automobiles, any car over, say, 20 years of age is "classic". No exceptions. Every car dealer who has a show on his lot during the summer has a 'classic car show'. Someone's 1976 Rambler gets destroyed in a garage fire and the newspaper says that a "classic" car was destroyed. Happens all the time. Drives me nuts.Tom

Christmas is coming. What books should I put on my Chrismas list? The new edition of "Grand Prix Who's Who" and the Tony Robinson biography are already on the list. I couldn't wait for Christmas for the Tony Brooks autobiography and I recommend it to anyone interested in his period.

Christmas is coming. What books should I put on my Chrismas list? The new edition of "Grand Prix Who's Who" and the Tony Robinson biography are already on the list. I couldn't wait for Christmas for the Tony Brooks autobiography and I recommend it to anyone interested in his period.

In my wish list at the moment are the Le Mans 1980-89 volume, the autobiographies of Tony Brooks and Derek Bell, and Peter Warr's unfinished memoirs. Also the obligatory Autocourse annual when that's published.

Alan Mann - A Life of Chance
It must be "progress" but, like so many other new books, this one seems to me a bit thin for its price tag (which is not significantly discounted at present, compared to many others). Despite the title, it is very much the story of Alan Mann Racing rather than Alan Mann. The obligatory early life section is not matched with anything post AMR until we get to "modern" historic racing. Aviation enthusisats may therefore be disappointed to find virtually nothing regarding that major post-AMR phase, other than a veiled reference to classified work, with helicopter anti-missile measures mentioned. Although I was once briefly on the periphery of that subject, I have no recollection of any Alan Mann Group company being involved. His post-AMR private life is dismissed in a couple of sentences. Still, many of us castigated Jackie Stewart's book for spending too much time on his non-driving career, so we can't complain too much and overall this book is "a good read".
There may well be much new insight for those who's interest lies in GT and sports racing cars and there is certainly a view of Ford's "disfunctional" (to use a current buzz word) corporate performance in that area. Shelby and Holman and Moody seem to escape the worst of AM's censure but few others seem to! Even Walter Hayes attracts the odd adverse reference and John Wyer was clearly never ever destined to make it on to AM's Christmas card list. We knew relations with Stuart Turner never rose from rock bottom in period as: "he didn't like me and I didn't like him" dates back some time. That things never mellowed is now indicated by a blunt : "he doesn't speak to me". This raises the question of whether all these people were quite as bad as portrayed or whether AM himself was part of the problem...
I was sorely disappointed to learn little new about the AM saloon cars. The good Mustang listing of car identities/use can already be found on a US Mustang web site that held long telephone conversations with AM some time ago. The Falcon identities/use/fate can also be pieced together far more comprehensively than it is here. For Cortinas and Escorts that detail is disappointingly limited. I had hoped to find confirmation/details of the AM involvement in setting up the works rally Lotus Cortinas for the 66 Coupe des Alpes but no mention is made. Interestingly, AM's entry of two Lotus Cortinas in the 66 Monte, separate from the three works cars, is attributed to a Walter Hayes initiative to "sharpen things up". Totally conflicting statements then follow as to whether or not the AM cars also had dipping headlights and would have been excluded with others. Engine failure on both cars from using the wrong oil suggests it wasn't the works team, by then under Henry Taylor, that was most in need of sharpening up...
A very good story is made of Henry Taylor bringing his works Cortina GT from Ford Comps, then at Lincoln Cars, to AM (then Alan Andrews Racing) in secret to be totally re-prepared and set up for the 63 Coupe des Alpes. It then goes on to record Pat Moss (in her single year with Ford) expressing concern "in the closing stages at Monza" that Taylor's car was clearly faster than the other team cars. Only problem with that is that Pat Moss, already carrying a knee injury, was taken ill in Marseilles, didn't start the Coupe des Alpes, was medevacced to the UK and was in hospital with pleurisy by then....

Tremendous book. 540pages well printed hardbound.Stunning photos sorted by racetracks and years. Shortish minimal captions and small intros in EIGHT languages.Lots of portraits too--sorry Björn, no transporters seen so far...

Alan Mann - A Life of ChanceIt must be "progress" but, like so many other new books, this one seems to me a bit thin for its price tag (which is not significantly discounted at present, compared to many others). Despite the title, it is very much the story of Alan Mann Racing rather than Alan Mann. The obligatory early life section is not matched with anything post AMR until we get to "modern" historic racing. Aviation enthusisats may therefore be disappointed to find virtually nothing regarding that major post-AMR phase, other than a veiled reference to classified work, with helicopter anti-missile measures mentioned. Although I was once briefly on the periphery of that subject, I have no recollection of any Alan Mann Group company being involved. His post-AMR private life is dismissed in a couple of sentences. Still, many of us castigated Jackie Stewart's book for spending too much time on his non-driving career, so we can't complain too much and overall this book is "a good read". There may well be much new insight for those who's interest lies in GT and sports racing cars and there is certainly a view of Ford's "disfunctional" (to use a current buzz word) corporate performance in that area. Shelby and Holman and Moody seem to escape the worst of AM's censure but few others seem to! Even Walter Hayes attracts the odd adverse reference and John Wyer was clearly never ever destined to make it on to AM's Christmas card list. We knew relations with Stuart Turner never rose from rock bottom in period as: "he didn't like me and I didn't like him" dates back some time. That things never mellowed is now indicated by a blunt : "he doesn't speak to me". This raises the question of whether all these people were quite as bad as portrayed or whether AM himself was part of the problem...I was sorely disappointed to learn little new about the AM saloon cars. The good Mustang listing of car identities/use can already be found on a US Mustang web site that held long telephone conversations with AM some time ago. The Falcon identities/use/fate can also be pieced together far more comprehensively than it is here. For Cortinas and Escorts that detail is disappointingly limited. I had hoped to find confirmation/details of the AM involvement in setting up the works rally Lotus Cortinas for the 66 Coupe des Alpes but no mention is made. Interestingly, AM's entry of two Lotus Cortinas in the 66 Monte, separate from the three works cars, is attributed to a Walter Hayes initiative to "sharpen things up". Totally conflicting statements then follow as to whether or not the AM cars also had dipping headlights and would have been excluded with others. Engine failure on both cars from using the wrong oil suggests it wasn't the works team, by then under Henry Taylor, that was most in need of sharpening up...A very good story is made of Henry Taylor bringing his works Cortina GT from Ford Comps, then at Lincoln Cars, to AM (then Alan Andrews Racing) in secret to be totally re-prepared and set up for the 63 Coupe des Alpes. It then goes on to record Pat Moss (in her single year with Ford) expressing concern "in the closing stages at Monza" that Taylor's car was clearly faster than the other team cars. Only problem with that is that Pat Moss, already carrying a knee injury, was taken ill in Marseilles, didn't start the Coupe des Alpes, was medevacced to the UK and was in hospital with pleurisy by then....

Thanks for the detailed review, RS.

I'm intrigued, is there anything on the events of April '68, and the claim that were it not Mann's poor admin, Jim Clark would have been in a Mann-entered F3L at Brands, and not at Hockenheim? I've never seen Mann's side of the story. Has he taken it to the grave?

I'm intrigued, is there anything on the events of April '68, and the claim that were it not Mann's poor admin, Jim Clark would have been in a Mann-entered F3L at Brands, and not at Hockenheim? I've never seen Mann's side of the story. Has he taken it to the grave?

No, he makes it clear he knew some time before that it was not going to happen. Chapman had managed to get agreement from Hayes to releasing them only if he (Chapman) had not marked their dance card for an appearance for him. This he immediately did. Graham Hill (who persistently gets good references on many counts from AM) then phoned AM to say he'd just received the call from Chapman and suspected he would soon receive other "bookings" if ever pencilled in again for the F3L. AM says JC was seriously in the frame at one point and had provisionally allocated some of his permitted "days in UK" to the BOAC 500, so that seems to dismiss claims that it was never remotely possible JC would drive there.As a spectator I can't remember now whether JC/NGH were in the official programme still. They were weren't they? If so AM's timings suggest he or the organisers should have made it clearer earlier on that there would be change. Wouldn't have helped the gate receipts...?Incidently, he says he learnt of JC's accident only when he returned to his road car after the race and found Mike Spence in his car parked next to it in tears.

No, he makes it clear he knew some time before that it was not going to happen. Chapman had managed to get agreement from Hayes to releasing them only if he (Chapman) had not marked their dance card for an appearance for him. This he immediately did. Graham Hill (who persistently gets good references on many counts from AM) then phoned AM to say he'd just received the call from Chapman and suspected he would soon receive other "bookings" if ever pencilled in again for the F3L. AM says JC was seriously in the frame at one point and had provisionally allocated some of his permitted "days in UK" to the BOAC 500, so that seems to dismiss claims that it was never remotely possible JC would drive there.As a spectator I can't remember now whether JC/NGH were in the official programme still. They were weren't they? If so AM's timings suggest he or the organisers should have made it clearer earlier on that there would be change. Wouldn't have helped the gate receipts...?Incidently, he says he learnt of JC's accident only when he returned to his road car after the race and found Mike Spence in his car parked next to it in tears.

Thanks, RS. This alone puts the book on my wanted list. Tony Dron should be applauded for getting Mann to open up as much as he clearly did.